Page 53 - book_james

THE BOOK OF JAMES ‐ 5

5:1‐20 Faith Tested

The Challenge of Chapter Five
We must guard against pursuing wealth and depending on money more than God. When we
experience oppression and pressure, we need to avoid the temptation to complain and gripe
against one another. We do not need to swear by anything; our yes should mean yes and our no
should mean no.

As Job endured suffering with patience, so we must also in your. If we are weak in our faith, we
can ask the elders of the church to anoint us with oil and pray for us. At the same time, we should
strive to be strong in our faith and certain we have no unconfessed sin between us and another
believer. Then we can pray fervently and see answers to our prayers. Finally, we must always be
sensitive and open to leading a brother or sister who has turned away, back to the Lord.

1. Faith Tested by Its Reaction to Injustice (1‐11)

James begins by addressing the arrogant, unbelieving, wealthy residents of Jerusalem who are
oppressing the poor. He is also speaking to believers who have become caught up in the pursuit
of wealth and trust in money more than the God they serve. James continues by exhorting the
oppressed believers to wait in patience and to stabilize their own hearts through the intake and
application of the Word of God. He also instructs them not to grumble against one another
because of the oppression and pressure they are experiencing in their lives, but instead to endure
even as Job had in his life.
A. Announcement of the Judgment

Jas 5:1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.

Go to (come) now, ye rich men, weep (klausate: sob aloud) and howl for your miseries that shall
come upon you.

This chapter is a sharp change from chapter 4. The unbelieving rich in this city who oppress the
poor are being addressed. They are mentioned in chapter 2 as those who come into the church
and receive special attention. They oppress the poor through the court systems and take
advantage of situations for their furtherance of wealth (2:2‐6). James is not opposed to them
because they are wealthy, but because of their arrogance towards and sins against the poor.
James is explaining that there will always be social evils in the world and as believers, we are to
be opposed to them, but not to the exclusion of the Great Commission.

The accumulation of wealth often leads to abuses, and James is not only coming down hard on
believers, but he is also exhorting believers not to get caught up in the pursuit of wealth.
Specifically, those being addressed are Jewish unbelievers who own large estates in the city of